San Bernardino County supervisor faces $6,000 fine for failing to report all earnings in state filings

A San Bernardino County supervisor has agreed to pay a $6,000 fine for not disclosing part of his earnings in state filings.

The Fair Political Practices Commission’s enforcement staff has proposed to penalize board chairman Robert Lovingood for failing to list income of $10,000 or more that he collected through his staffing businesses, according to a report placed on the commission’s website Monday.

Elected officials are required to disclose that information on statement of economic interest forms. By listing income and assets, as well any gifts, officials remain transparent and avoid potential conflicts of interest.

Lovingood, who is in his second term overseeing communities such as Hesperia and Apple Valley, runs two staffing businesses: ICR Staffing Services and Industrial Commodity Recruiters. Those companies serve a variety of clients.

In 2013 and 2014, Lovingood failed to disclose income collected from more than a half dozen clients, including the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority and the cities of Hesperia and Victorville. In 2016, Lovingood amended the forms to include the omissions.

Lovingood contends in the commission’s order that the violations were a misunderstanding. He believed he was required to disclose clients from whom he received net income of $10,000, instead of gross income, he said.

According to the state commission’s investigation, Lovingood voted on at least 42 matters involving nine of his staffing clients while sitting as county supervisor. However, the Enforcement Division did not find that Lovingood had a conflict of interest during the votes.

In the state commission’s order, Lovingood said he sought advice from the county attorney to ensure he was in compliance.

The commission is expected to vote on Lovingood’s penalty at its March 16 meeting.

esmeralda.bermudez@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATBermudez